WHEN Dennis Barnes came across these documents in his mother’s belongings he had no idea who the soldier was.

He has been wondering about the brave soldier for almost 20 years and now hopes to reunite the papers with family members.

Dennis, who lives in Bashall Street, Bolton, found a faded newspaper cutting from The Bolton Journal, a letter from King George offering sympathy to the soldier’s family and a letter from the War Office to say he was mentioned in a despatch from General Sir Charles Monro on March 6, 1916.

The soldier was called John Jones and he lived with his wife and child at 29 Cardwell Street in Bolton.

He received the DCM — only one below the Victoria Cross for other ranks — at the withdrawal stage from Gallipoli.

According to military historian Charles Sandbach this would indicate that Sgt Jones “was holding up the fire right to the end on the beaches”.

In an article in The Bolton Journal it is reported that John was at Gallipoli from May 1915 to January 9, 1916.

He then went to Sinai and in March 1917 to France.

The article: ‘The DCM was awarded on January 4, 1916 at Gallipoli. After being wounded he kept up a steady rate of fire with his gun and displayed great coolness and courage.

"Sgt Jones resides with his wife and child at 29 Cardwell Street, Bolton and prior to joining the forces was an employee of Messrs William Ryder Ltd, Beehive Works, Folds Road, Bolton as an electrician.”